Randomly operated advertisement and chance amusement device



y 9, 1969 A. w. JONES ETAL 3,458,201

RANDOMLY OPERATED ADVERTISEMENT AND CHANCE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct.21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ALFRED W dam-:5 FPA N/\ E CEFPL/ENKA5 W yM/JMEJ A7- TORNEYS FIG. 4

July 29, 1969 w, JONES ET AL 3,458,201

RANDOMLY OPERATED ADVERTISEMENT AND CHANCE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Oct.21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/Ii K 5 I Q I NVEN'TOILS ALFRED W do/vzs FPA NA E. (75/? VENKA B yw KW +17% AT TORNE KS United States Patent 1077Como Place, both of St. Paul, Minn. 55103 Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No.499,654 Int. Cl. A63b 71/00 U.S. 'Cl. 273-138 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A freely rotatable drum having a plurality of electricalbrush-like Contacts biased into engagement with the surface thereof andconducting material situated on the outer surface to provide an electriccircuit between predetermined sets of said stationary contacts forpredetermined angular orientations of said drum with a motor attached tosaid drum and energizable through a set of electrical contacts in atimer, said brush-like contacts being connected to a plurality ofindicators energizable through a second set of contacts in the timersubsequent to stopping of the motor after energization thereof so thatthe indicators are energized in a purely random fashion according to theangular orientation of the drum upon the stopping thereof afterenergization of the motor. The motor is constructed with substantiallyno braking or damping therein except the normal components of friction.

This invention pertains to a device which can be utilized inadvertisement while simultaneously providing some amusement to theviewer and more specifically to a device which periodically attractsattention to any one of a group of advertising pictures or the like in apurely random fashion.

In the advertising field there are a great variety of devices whichcause portions of advertisements to move or light up or in some otherWay attract the viewers attention. All of these devices operatesequentially so that once the viewer has seen a complete sequence ofoperations he loses interest and the advertisement no longer can holdhis attention.

The present device has a plurality of advertisements, such as pictures,trademarks, etc., positioned therein with means for periodicallyindicating any one of the plurality so that a viewers attention isattracted to one advertisement at a time. For example, theadvertisements may be placed in rows with individually energized lightsources positioned behind each advertisement. The present device hasmeans therein for randomly energizing a single light source for adesired period of time to draw attention to the associatedadvertisement. That light source is then de-energized and after a shortperiod of time a second light source is energized. This procedurecontinues periodically as long as the device is connected to a source ofenergy.

Thus, the present device will hold a viewers interest for an indefiniteperiod of time since the activation of the various advertisements willnot be sequential. Even though a viewer has seen the device many timesbefore, he will invariably have a tendency to stop and attempt todetermine which advertisement will be activated next. The present devicewill add a degree of amusement to an advertising device and, therefore,will enhance the effectiveness of the advertisements. It also should benoted that the present device could be used for a childs game bysubstituting numbers or letters for the advertisements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedadvertisement device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide anadvertisement device having incorporated therein an amusement factorwhich will enhance the effectiveness of the advertisement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a devicewhich periodically completes any one of a plurality of possible circuitsin a purely random fashion.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification,claims, and drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present device assembled;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuitry in the presentdevice;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the rotary switch utilized in thepresent device;

FIG. 4 is a development of the cylinder in the switch of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the electricalcircuitry.

In FIG. 1 the numeral 10 designates a box-like container having theelectrical circuitry therein, which will be explained presently. Thecontainer 10 has a switch 11 and a fuse holder, with the associated fuse12 therein, operatively attached to the front thereof. A second boxlikecontainer .13 has the indicating devices therein operatively attached tothe electrical circuitry in the container 10. In this embodiment theindicating devices are a plurality of light sources 14 through 19positioned behind a similar number of transparent panels or openings 20through 25. The transparent panels 20-25 may contain advertisements orthe like which will be illuminated by the light sources 14-19 when thelight sources 1419 are energized.

In FIG. 2 the power switch 11 and fuse .12 are connected in series andone side thereof is adapted to be connected to a suitable source ofpower through a lead 30. The other side of the series connection ofswitch 11 and fuse 12 is connected to a junction 31. A second junction32 is adapted to be connected to the other side of the power source by alead 33. Timing means, generally designated 35, in this embodimentinclude a synchronous motor 36, a first movable contact 37 with anassociated stationary contact 38 and a second movable contact 39 with anassociated stationary contact 40. The synchronous motor 36 is connectedto the junctions 31 and 32 by a pair of leads 41 and 42 respectively.The movable contacts 37 and 39 are connected to junction 31 by a pair ofleads 43 and 44 respectively.

The synchronous motor 36 has an activating pin 45 which operates in afashion similar to a cam to engage the movable contacts 37 and 39 andcause them to engage the fixed contacts 38 and 40 respectively for eachrevolution thereof. In general the activating pin 45 is connected to thesynchronous motor 36 so that it revolves at a relatively slow rate. Anexample of a desirable rate of rotation is one revolution per minute.The movable contacts 37 and 39 are positioned relative to the activatingpin 45 so that the movable contact 39 is engaged first. The movablecontact 39 is constructed so that the length of time the activating pin45 is engaged therewith is of a substantial magnitude. As an additionalfeature this length of time may be variable if desired. At some timesubsequent to the engagement of the movable contact 39 the activatingpin 45 engages the movable contact 37. Again the length of time whichthe activating pin 45 is engaged with the movable contact 37 is of asubstantial magnitude and may be varied if desired. The period of timebetween the engagement of the activating pin 45 with the movable contact39 and the engagement of the activating pin 45 with the movable contact37 will be discussed in more detail later.

The stationary contact 40' of the timing means is attached by means of alead 49 to a lead 50 of a rotary motor 51. A second lead 52 of motor 51is attached to a junction 53 by means of a lead 54. The junction 53 isin turn attached to the junction 32 by means of a lead 55. Thus, whenthe movable contact 39 engages the stationary contact a circuit iscompleted connecting the motor 51 to the energizing source and motor 51will operate until the movable contact 39 is disengaged from thestationary contact 40. In general the motor 51 does not have any brakingor damping means attached thereto so that once the motor is de-energizedit will continue to rotate until the natural frictional componentstherein cause it to stop.

The rotation of the motor 51 after it is de-energized will be for anundetermined but relatively short period of time. The movable contact 37is positioned relative to the synchronous motor 36 and activating pin sothat it will be engaged at some time subsequent to the stopping of themotor 51. In general if the movable contacts 39 and 37 are placedapproximately 180 mechanical degrees apart in the path of the activatingpin 45 there will be suflicient time for the motor 51 to stop after theactivating pin 45 has disengaged the movable contact 39 and before itengages the movable contact 37.

A rotary switch is connected to the motor 51 for rotation therewith bymeans of a shaft 61. The rotary switch 60 can be seen in detail in FIGS.3 and 4. The switch 60 has a housing not shown which includes a pair ofdisk shaped end members 62 and 63. The end members 62 and 63 aremaintained in a coaxial spaced apart relationship by a plurality ofspacers 64 which are attached to the end members 62 and 63 by means ofbolt 65 or the like. The shaft 61 is mounted approximately coaxial withthe members 62 and 63 and for relative rotation with respect thereto bybearing means positioned within the end members 62 and 63. A cylindricaldrum 66 is fixedly attached to the shaft 61 and positioned between theend members 62 and 63 for relative rotation with respect thereto. Adevelopment of the surface of the drum 66 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

The drum 66 has a first strip 67 of conducting material on the surfacethereof positioned adjacent the left edge and completely encircling thecircumference thereof. Six arcuate segments of conducting material eachhaving a length substantially equal to 60 of the circumference of thedrum 66 are designated 68-73. The arcuate segments 68-73 are positionedon the surface of the drum 66 so that each segment 68-73 lies in a planespaced longitudinally from the previous segment but parallel andadjacent. In addition, the segments 68-73 are spaced about thecircumference of the drum 66 so as to include successive 60 portions ofthe circumference. That is, the arcuate segment 68 includes the first 60of the circumference of the drum 66 and lies adjacent and parallel tothe strip 67. The second arcuate segment 69 lies between 60 and 120 onthe circumference of the drum 66 and parallel but spaced longitudinallyfrom the segment 68. In a like manner the segment 70 lies between 120and 180 on the surface of the drum 66 and is parallel but spacedlongitudinally from the segment 69. The segments 71, 72 and 73 liebetween 180-240, 240- 300 and 300-360 respectively. In addition each ofthe segments 68-73 are electrically connected together and to the stripof material 67. This may be accomplished by having adjacent segments incontact or through internal wires or the like.

A block 75 has seven fingers 76-82 mounted therein and extendingoutwardly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. The block 75is mounted between the end members 62 and 63 of switch 60 so that thefingers 76-82 ride lightly on the surface of the drum 66. The fingers76-82 are constructed of an electrical conductor with a slightresilience so that they are maintained in mechanical contact with thesurface of the drum 66. The fingers 76-82 are spaced apartlongitudinally so that the finger 76 lies in the plane of the arcuateconducting strip 67 while the fingers 77-82 lie in the planes of thesegments 68-73 respectively. Thus, as the drum 66 rotates the finger 76is always in contact with the conducting strip 67 and one of the fingers77-82 will always be in contact with one of the conducting segments68-73 but the particular segment 68-73 in contact with a finger 77-82respectively will change for each 60 of rotation of the drum 66. Sincethe strip 67 and the segments 68-73 are all electrically connectedtogether on the surface of the drum 66 an electrical circuit iscompleted from the finger 76 through the strip 67 to the particularfinger 77-82 in contact with its associated segment 68-73.

Referring to FIG. 2 a lead connects the finger 76 of switch 60 to thestationary contact 38 of timing means 35. Six leads 86-91 connect thesix fingers 77-82 to one side of the light sources 14-19 respectively.The opposite side of the light sources 14-19 are connected to theterminal 53 by means of leads 92-97 respectively.

In the operation of the present device, the leads 30 and 33 areconnected to a suitable power source and the switch 11 is closed. Thisenergizes the timing means 35 and synchronous motor 36 begins to rotate.As the activating pin 45 engages the movable contact 39 contacts 39 and40 close completing a circuit to the motor 51. The motor 51 and therotary switch 60 rotate under power until the activating pin 45 isdisengaged from the movable contact 39 and contacts 39 and 40 open. Themotor 51 and rotary switch 60 continue to rotate for a short period oftime until stopped by the natural frictional components therein. As theactivating pin 45 rotates 180 it engages the movable contact 37 whichcloses the contacts 37 and 38 completing a circuit to the finger 76 ofthe rotary switch 60. Since the rotary switch 60 is stopped one of thefingers 77, 82 are in contact with its associated arcuate segment 68-73respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 2 the finger 82 is in contact withits associated arcuate segment 73 and a circuit is completed from thefinger 76 to the light source 19. Thus, the light source 19 is energizedand the panel 25 is illuminated until the activating pin 45 rotates asufiicient distance to disengage the movable contact 37. In thisfashion, the panels 20-25 are illuminated in a purely random fashion.

In FIG. 5 an alternate embodiment is illustrated in which similarmembers are indicated with similar numbers having a prime added. In thisembodiment the energy for the light sources 14'-19 does not flow throughthe con ducting material on the surface of the switch 60. The basiccircuitry is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 except that a directcurrent power supply generally designated and seven relays designated101-107 are included, as will be described presently. The power supply100' has a transformer designated 108' with a primary winding 109' and asecondary winding 110. The primary winding 109' is connected to theterminals 31' and 32 by a pair of leads 111' and 112' respectively. Oneside of the secondary winding 110' is common to all of the circuitry andis designated 113'. The other side of the secondary winding 110 isconected to one side of a diode 114' the other side of which isconnected to a junction point 115. A filter capacitor 116' is connectedbetween the junction 115' and the common line 113'. A dropping resistor117' is connected between the junction point 115 and a second junctionpoint 118'. A capacitor 119' is connected from the junction point 118 tothe common line 113 to filter any surges of current at the junction118'. A filter resistor 120' is connected between the junction point115' and a junction point 121'. A filter capacitor 122' is connectedbetween the junction point 121 and the common line 113'. A load resistor123 is connected in parallel with the filter capacitor 122' between thejunction 121' and the common line 113.

The lead 52' of the motor 51' is connected to the common line 113 by thelead 54. The lead 50 of the motor 51 is connected to the movable contact39 by the lead 49. The stationary contact associated with the movablecontact 39 is connected to the junction 118' by a lead 125. The secondmovable contact 37' is connected to the junction 121' by a lead 126'While the associated stationary contact 38' is connected to one side ofthe coil 101A of relay 101' by a lead 127'. The other side ofthe coil101A is connected to the common line 113 by a lead 128'. A capacitor 129is connected in parallel with coil 101A to suppress any surges ofcurrent therethrough. Thus, when the actuating pin engages the movablecontact 39' and contacts 39 and 40 are closed a circuit is completedwhich connects the motor 51 to an output, at junction 118, of the powersupply 100'. When the actuating pin 45 disengages the movable contact 39and engages the movable contact 37 a circuit is completed connecting therelay coil 101A to the output of the power supply 100' at junction 121'.The relay 101 has a pair of contacts 101B one of which is connected tothe junction 121 by a lead 130' and the other of which is connected tothe finger 76 of switch by a lead A capacitor 134 is connected betweenthe lead 85' and return line 113 to remove any surges of current fromthe lead 85 when the contacts 101B open. When the coil 101A of relay101' is energized by the closure of contacts 37 and 38 the contacts 101Bclose completing a circuit from the power supply to the finger 76' ofthe switch 60'.

Each of the fingers 77-82 are connected to one side of the relay coils102A-107A of the relays 102'-107 respectively. The other side of thecoils 102A-107A are connected to the common line 113' by a lead 131'. Alead 133 is connected from a tap 132 on the secondary winding of thetransformer 108 to one side of each of the sets of contacts 102B-107B ofthe relays 102'107' respectively. The other side of each of the contacts102B- 107B is connected to one side of the light sources 19-14respectively. The other side of the light sources 1914' are connected tothe common line 113 by leads 9792' respectively. Thus, whenever theactivating pin 45 engages the movable contact 37' the relay 101 isactivated and contacts 101B close applying power to the finger 76 of theswitch 60'. At this time one of the fingers 77 '-82' is in contact withthe associated arcuate segment 6873 and a circuit is completed throughthe switch 60'. In FIG. 5 the arcuate segment 73 is in contact with thefinger 82. Thus, when the contacts 101B close -a circuit is completedthrough the coil 102A closing the contacts 102B and completing a circuitfrom the tap 132' of the secondary winding 110' through the lead 133',contacts 102B, light source 19, lead 97 and the common line 113. Thetiming means 35, motor 51' and the rotary switch 60 operate in a fashionsimilar to that explained in conjunction with FIG. 2.

Thus, by placing various desirable advertisements or the like inoverlying positions on the panels 2025 the present device willperiodically draw the viewers attention to one of the advertisements,which advertisement will be selected by the present device purely atrandom. Because of this random selection of advertisements a viewersinterest will be increased and the etfectiveness of the advertisementwill be greatly enhanced. It should be understood that light sourceshave been illustrated in the present embodiment for purposes ofexplanation but other apparatus for indicating the variousadvertisements might 6 be utilized. For example, moving objects in theadvertisement, moving the entire panel, etc.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of thisinvention, further modifications and improvements will occur to thoseskilled in the art. We desire it to be understood, therefore, that thisinvention is not limited to the particular form shown and We intend inthe appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An advertisement and amusement device comprising:

(a) rotary motor means;

(b) rotary switch means having a rotatable drum connected to said motormeans for rotation therewith and having a plurality of sets ofstationary contacts biased into engagement with the surface of said drumand conducting material at the surface of said drum situated to providean electrical circuit between predetermined sets of said stationarycontacts for predetermined angular orientation of said drum, saidconducting material being atfixed to the drum so the outer surface ofsaid drum is relatively smooth and continuous;

(c) timing means having a first pair of contacts one of which isconnected to said motor means and the other of which is adapted to beconnected to an energizing source and a second pair of contacts one ofwhich is connected to said rotary switch means and the other of which isadapted to be connected to an energizing source, said timing meansperiodically closing said first pair of contacts for a predeterminedperiod of time whereby said motor means is energized and subsequent tothe stopping of said motor means said second pair of contacts are closedfor a predetermined period of time; and

(d) indicating means operatively connected to said sets of contacts ofsaid rotary switch means for indicating which set of contacts of saidrotary switch means is closed when a circuit is completed to theenergizing source through said second pair of contacts of said timingmeans.

2. An advertisement and amusement device as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe sets of contacts of said rotary switch means are positioned so onlyone set of contacts of said rotary switch means is closed at any onegiven time.

3. An advertisement and amusement devic as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe rotary motor means is constructed with substantially no braking ordamping therein except the normal components of friction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,478 3/ 1940 Diebel.2,679,398 5/1954 Jameson 273-138 FOREIGN PATENTS 66,554 12/1956 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 273-143

